Panama Relief Centers Busy

Hungry families flocked to relief centers throughout Panama and food grew scarce today in the third day of a general strike to oust Gen. Manuel A. Noriega. The military strongman again rejected a U.S. call for him to go into exile.

Relief officials said that more and more hungry families, some of whom have not eaten in five or six days, were flocking to emergency centers around the country. Panamanians by the tens of thousands stayed off their jobs and Noriega’s opponents hailed the success of the work stoppage, predicting it would continue until the general leaves the country. “We’re in this to the end,” said Pierre Legnadier, one of the leaders of a coalition of business, professional, labor and political groups that called the strike.